Kaldur's pain
by puzzlemistress
Summary: Kaldur went missing for a year. When he was found he was never the same. THe team has to find the man who tortured their leader if not for their sakes, then for Kaldur's sanity.
1. Prologue

Kaldur went out on his daily run. It was a normal day and nothing was new. He got dressed in his workout clothes, his uniform underneath it and left his apartment. But something was different. As Kaldur ran down the alley something attacked him. He fought it off and began to run faster to get to the public street. Before he could even make it 5 feet, he slipped unconscious. At that was left of that day was Kaldur's locket that he always carried in his pocket and Kaldur's blood on the concrete.


	2. The 911 Call

5 minutes later

**Operator**: 911, what is your emergency?

**Woman**: I would like to report a kidnapping.

**Operator**: Ma'am calm down. Do you know who he his?

**Woman**: No. I believe he is a teenager. He was running down the alley and someone came and grabbed him.

**Operator:** How long has he been missing?

**Woman:** I don't know.

**Operator:** Are you his guardian?

**Woman**: No.

**Woman: **Oh god.

**Operator**: Ma'am what happened?

**Woman:** I found blood and some kind of locket.

**Operator:** Can you give an address?

**Woman**: 1671 Anderson View. I'm in the alley that leads to Victory Lane. Please hurry.

**Operator:** Alright. Please stay where you are, a police squad car is on the way. I need to know your name.

**Woman:** Amy. Amy Dalton.

**Operator**: Ok Amy. Police should be arriving shortly.

**Amy**: Thank you.

When the police arrived, they saw the blood and the locket that was found. They immediately made contact with Superman and told him what they know. He ordered that League to look for him and contacted Lois Lane and asked her to put it on the news. He might regret this decision after the team found out.


	3. The Team's reaction

Superman went to the watchtower and gave Aquaman the locket. Aquaman opened it to see a picture of his mother on one side and a picture of his wife and brother on the other side. He basically ordered the league to search for his missing son. And yes, he did say son. Some how, by some way, the press got hold of the fact that Aqualad was missing and all hell broke loose when the Team saw the report. The stormed the Watchtower and demanded answers.

"How could you not tell us that KAldur went missing?" Robin asked to Batman.

"We should be looking for him!" KF said angrily.

"Stop. This is not going to help find my son.' Aquaman said as he walked in the room.

"Arthur, I thought we told you to rest. You haven't slept in weeks now." Wonderwoman said.

"I could not rest. I will when I find my son." Aquaman said as he clinched the locket in his hand.

"Is that his locket?" Superboy asked.

"Yes. They found it covered in his blood. God, I should have never let him have that apartment. I should have never.." Aquaman said angrily as he slammed his hands down on the table.

"You could not have predicted what would have happened." Miss Martian said as he tried to comfort him.

"This is why I never wanted him on the surface. I feared something like this would happen." Arthur said as he fought back the tears.

"We will find him Aquaman. We need Kaldur home as much as you do." Artemis said.

"I know. He was always worried about you all. He would spend days blaming himself if any of you got so much as starch." Aquaman said with a small sad smile.

"I never knew he cared so much." Black Canary said.

"Why would anyone want to kidnap Kaldur?" Robin asked the million dollar question.

"We checked all of Aquaman's enemies. Either they are in prison here or back in Atlantis." Batman said.

A phone rang softly and Megan checked her pocket.

"Who is this?" Miss Martian asked.

"Have you checked Kaldur's enemies?" The woman's voice said over the phone.

"Amanda Walker." Batman said slowly.

"Hello Batman. You might want to check Aqualad's enemies." Amanda said.

"Why should we?" Aquaman said.

"I had Kaldur do me several favors in the past could of months." Amanda explained.

"What did he do?" Superboy asked.

"Relax Connor, I never made him do anything immoral. Just had him break a couple laws but you do that anyway right Batman." Amanda explained and you could just hear the smirk on her face.

"Let us know if you find him Amanda." Batman ordered.

"I will find him. You know me by now rich boy, I get what I want." Amanda said as she hung up.

"Does that woman know everything?" Robin asked looking at Batman.

Batman just kept silent.

"What's in the locket?" Artemis asked curiously.

Aquaman opened it to show the pictures.

"He wanted this before he left for the surface. To have a piece of the people he loves." Aquaman said as he closed it softly.

The team realized that they had to find Kaldur. If not for their sakes, but for the sakes of Kaldur loved ones. They searched the entire globe looking for any leads on him. Roy even joined in on the hunt for him. They searched for Kaldur for a year with a single trace. On the anniversary of Kaldur's disappearance, they built a hologram of him at the Watchtower to honor him.


	4. Aqualad's alive!

December 9, 2014. It is the anniversary of Kaldur's disappearance. Amanda Waller and her men invaded an underground warehouse on that dat. The man that kidnapped Kaldur is once again cutting Kaldur up. This way of torture was not uncommon to Kaldur after a year. He still slightly screamed and fought against him as his gills were cut. In a way, he was almost immune to the pain. Almost. When the soldiers were running upstairs, his torturer left the room. The soldiers kicked down in the door and against Kaldur's will he screamed and began to cry. All the guards looked around the room and one of the female soldiers walked to him.

"Sir. Are you ok?" She asked.

Kaldur turned his head to her. His face was covered in dried blood, dirt, and tears. He quickly put his head down and avoided her eyes.

"Oh my god. Someone call base. Tell them we found Aqualad." She ordered.

It took about 15 minutes to get Kaldur to trust them enough to get him out of the chains. One of the guards had to carry him to the ship.

"Where are you taking me?" Kaldur asked.

"You're going home." She said.

He began to cry tears of joy. He was going home.


	5. Amanda Waller

Kaldur was taken to the infirmary immediately. He was given several fluid bags, all used. He fell asleep when Amanda Waller came in the room. She watched him sleep until he woke up from a nightmare.

"Welcome back Aqualad." Amanda said as she walked to the bed.

"Where am I?" Kaldur asked.

"That is classified. How have you been?" Amanda asked.

"I was tortured for what seemed like a lifetime. How do you think I am." Kaldur asked tiredly.

"I could only imagine. I hate to tell you this but have you looked in a mirror." She asked slowly.

Kaldur began to panic. He slowly and carefully got up and looked in a mirror. He almost did not recognize himself. His hair was longer and then ends were covered in dried blood. His eyes kept dilating and constricting with the light. And his gill were slit multiple times. He began o cry at the reflection.

"What did he do to me?" He began to sob at the thought of never going home.

"We will find the man who did this to you. Can I get you anything?" Amanda asked.

"Can I get a hair cut?" Kaldur said with a small chuckle and light smile.

"Of course." She said with a small smile.

"When will I be able to return to my team." Kaldur asked as he laid back down on the bed.

"When you can stand on your own two feet without falling." She answered.

"Ms. Waller, thank you." Kaldur said as he fell asleep.

'You're welcome Kaldur." She said as she left the room.

After 5 hours of rest and 4 more fluid bags used, Kaldur got his hair cut to its normal length and his uniform cleaned. Amanda walked with him to the zeta beam and watch him off. For the past few months, Kaldur has been doing small simple favors for Amanda. Like his mother always said; do a favor for a friend, it is not a favor, but do a favor for an enemy, it will become a debt.


	6. Kaldur's Home!

Kaldur beamed himself to the cave and walked in. He heard Wolf bark happily and nearly tackle him to the ground. Kaldur started laughing happily as he rubbed Wolf's belly. He walked with Wolf to the kitchen and saw Megan looking at him in surprise and shock. He slowly began to cry in his hands. He thought he would never see her again.

"Kaldur?" Megan asked as tears start to fall.

"Hello Megan." Kaldur said softly.

"I don't understand. How are you alive?" She asked through her tears.

Kaldur was too happy to even speak. Kaldur looked up to see Conner looking at them.

"Oh my god!" Conner shouted.

Connor ran to Kaldur as Megan let him go. Kaldur opened his arms to Conner as he was picked up by Conner in a bone crushing hug. Conner honestly missed Kaldur the most. Kaldur didn't fight him, he just squeezed Conner tightly. He finally put Kaldur down as the rest of the team came in. They all scream for joy as they all rush to hug Kaldur. After they all take turns hugging him, they let Kaldur breathe for a second. Kaldur wiped the tears from his eyes and tried to calm down.

"Where have you been?" Robin asked.

"How did you escape?" Wally asked.

"What happened to you?" Artemis asked.

"Are you hurt?" Megan asked.

"Who did this to you?" Connor asked.

"Enough. I will answer your questions, I promise but I need to see Annex." Kaldur said as he slowly made his way, with some help to the zeta beam.

The team took him to the Watchtower and took him to the meeting hall. In the meeting room, the League was working on a lead to find Kadlur. The room fell silent when Kaldur and the team stepped into the room. Aquaman stood up quickly and nearly ran to his pro- his son.

"Kaldur, is it really you my son?" Aquaman asked as he kneeled in front of him, thinking he was in a dream.

Kaldur nodded slowly. His whole body began to shake. Aquaman pulled him to his body and squeezed him tightly in a hug. Kaldur wrapped his arms around his men- his father's neck and squeezed him back just as tightly. They both used their full strength to hold each other. He began to sob into his father's shoulder. Aquaman soon began to cry as well. He was so worried about him. He hasn't slept in months. The only thought that ran through his mind was if his son, the child that Mera sadly couldn't give him, was dead or alive. Kaldur clung to Aquaman as tightly as possible. He thought he would never seen him again. They part for a brief moment to look at each other.

"Oh my son." Aquaman said softly.

Kaldur wiped away his own tears only to feel news ones coming. He grabbed Aquaman again and took a deep breath. He let his hand wander his father's back. Trying to tell himself that he was really and he was free.

"I missed you father." Kaldur whispered in his native tongue.

"I missed you as well my son. Part of me believes that his is dream." Aquaman said also in his native tongue.

"Father, I'm scared." Kaldur whispered back to him.

"It is alright now. I am here." Aquaman said with another hug.

Kaldur hugged back. He looked in the corner of his eyes to see a firgure of the man who kidnapped him. He knew that it was his mind paying tricks on him, since no one else made a sound, but he snuggled closer out of fear. He looked again to see that he was gone. He relaxed and let Aquaman go.

"Annex, how is my mother?" Kaldur asked in english as a new found fear came on his face.

"She is perfectly fine. Do you want to see her?" Aquaman asked also in english.

"I can not. The man slashed my gills." Kaldur said softly.

Aquaman became angry. A small growl escapsed his lips. This made Kaldur remember something in the back of his mind. He let out in a tiny scream and jumped into his mentors arms again. Aquaman stopped instantly amd calmed him down.

"Kaldur, you do not have to go back home. Turn around." Aquaman said as his mother let out a gasp.

Kaldur turned when he heard the gasp and saw his mother ,Shalina, standing there. He missed her so much. He ran to her and hugged her tightly. She began to cry on her shoulder. She rubbed his back as she too began to cry. She thought that Neptune took her baby away from her for good. She softly hummed a lullaby to sooth both of them.

"Oh mother." Kaldur whispered.

"My little fish." Shalina whispered back to him.

Kaldur chuckled wettly at the name. He can't believe that he actually mised being called that. He opened his eyes when the computer said:

"Red Arrow- B12" and saw Roy, looking relived.

For the first time in a year, he felt happy. How long will it last is the real question.


End file.
